Japanese climber Kazuya Hiraide was awarded the prestigious prize for his achievement of the first ascent via the new rout on the Northeast Face of Mount Shispare (7,611m) in Karakoram earlier this year.

The No. 16 issue also contains reports on a COP23 speech by a Sherpa on “Community experience of the climate change in the Himalayas and solutions,” as well as reports on three recent notable ascents in East Karakoram, West Sichuan Highlands and Zanskar in Ladakh.